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Karen De Guzman

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has placed under restrictive custody a police officer assigned at Camp Crame after he was arrested for allegedly transporting nearly P1.3 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.PNP chief PGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered the immediate filing of both administrative and criminal cases against the officer, stressing that the organization will not tolerate any personnel involved in illegal activities.Nartatez directed investigators to immediately pursue the appropriate charges once the investigation and the Bureau of Customs&#x27; (BOC) assessment of the seized items are completed.“The arrest demonstrates that no one is above the law. We will ensure a thorough, impartial investigation, and if the evidence warrants, the concerned personnel will face both administrative and criminal charges,” Nartatez said.The officer was arrested during a checkpoint operation conducted by intelligence personnel of the Pagadian City Police Station along the national highway in Barangay Tiguma.Authorities said they had received information about the alleged transport of smuggled cigarettes before the checkpoint was set up. When the vehicle was inspected, police recovered 251 reams of New Berlin cigarettes with an estimated market value of P1.285 million.The suspect remains in police custody while investigators complete the required procedures and determine the appropriate charges to be filed.Nartatez said the incident should serve as a warning to all police officers that the PNP will strictly enforce accountability within its ranks.“Integrity and accountability are non-negotiable in the PNP. We will not tolerate any involvement of our personnel in illegal activities, regardless of rank or assignment. We expect every police officer to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and public trust,” he said. <div> </div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/6/23/authorities-seize-p1-7-b-worth-of-smuggled-cigarettes-1420">Authorities seize P1.7-billion smuggled cigarettes in Manila </a> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/27/pnp-notes-backdoor-channels-rogue-law-enforcers-in-cigarette-smuggling-1449">PNP notes backdoor channels, rogue law enforcers in cigarette smuggling </a> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/7/12/p20-8-m-halaga-ng-smuggled-na-sigarilyo-nasabat-sa-misamis-oriental-2052" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">P20.8-M halaga ng smuggled na sigarilyo nasabat sa Misamis Oriental </a></div>

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has placed under restrictive custody a police officer assigned at Camp Crame after he was arrested for allegedly transporting nearly P1.3 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has placed under restrictive custody a police officer assigned at Camp Crame after he was arrested for allegedly transporting nearly P1.3 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.

PNP orders charges vs cop arrested for alleged transport of P1.3-million smuggled cigarettes

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PNP orders charges vs cop arrested for alleged transport of P1.3-million smuggled cigarettes

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 13, 2026 03:53 PM PHT

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